The House and Senate both return for a jam-packed week, but with a Trump-signed continuing resolution (PL 119-103) funding the government through December 11, Congress doesn’t have any pressing bills that are essential to pass before the November midterms. The House is expected to only be in session this week, before their members return to the districts to campaign for reelection.
On the Hill this week:
- Senate Republican leadership hopes to line up a vote on the Protect College Sports Act. Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell had been pushing for a vote before August recess.
- FBI Director Kash Patel testifies in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee today.
- Senator Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate on Monday, the first time he had been seen since his last vote in June. He continues to hold a seat on the influential Appropriations Committee, which has just a one-vote Republican majority. His lengthy absence meant Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins postponed scheduling any mark-ups of the 12 regular spending bills.
- A procedural vote is expected on the cryptocurrency regulations CLARITY Act (HR 3633), which has been intensely debated for months, particularly over ethics provisions preventing elected officials profiting from crypto.